Vulnerable
by Kariko Emma
Summary: One fall makes you that way for life. Tobito and Kakashi.


**Vulnerable**

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**Summary:** One fall makes you that way for life. Tobito and Kakashi.

**Author's Note:** This one is for Kimi no Vanilla, Chevira Lowe, and to Tahle. I tried my best. This is my first Tobi/Kaka venture since the manga revelation.

**Disclaimer:** Do not own Naruto. Oh zoinks!

**Genre:**Crazy Mindfunk! Hoorayz!

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"Naruto…he's gone," Kakashi said quietly. And when Naruto made not a motion, Kakashi knelt down gently, "Raise your head."

The cold air only seemed to make it worse on the young shinobi. Worse on his pride or worse on his spirit, Kakashi couldn't begin to fathom which. After begging the Raikage, effectively, not to kill Sasuke with the cause of a vengeance-based war, any comment Kakashi could make would seem moot. Tenzou couldn't say anything either. He turned his head without a sound and looked over the glittering white snow in continued silence. Trained with Kakashi in such situations made them both a little more immune to the agony of a hard reticence and the smell of defeat.

Eventually, Naruto stood up and they began moving again.

The man Madara showed his mask to them along their journey, indulging Naruto in Sasuke's natural war-like aggression. Choosing vengeance is the natural course in an Uchiha's life, and Sasuke followed it in stunning tradition enough to make the eldest Uchiha proud. True indeed, Naruto's grim yet determined expression was the reverse side of the coin, and together, the coin spun yet, around and around, spinning in the head of Uchiha Madara. "You are just the next in line to be chosen by destiny," said Tobi, the echo, or the man Madara. After that, there was nothing much else to say. The man, merely incomplete as far as anyone knew, vanished with that same familiar spiral spin…of vengeance.

Eventually…they had to keep moving.

And as Kakashi was ready to fly after Sakura, he hears the sounds of calamity in the form of a clutch, a reach at the heart, and the noise of breath. Naruto collapses in the cold, with the snow still falling lightly on his shoulders.

It's the weight of the burden, you see.

Naruto simply lies on the ground, exposing his belly like a cat because he's vulnerable. He gives in to the blackness. And Kakashi cannot merely tell him to get up and raise his head once more.

Sasuke's too important.

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"Kya-kyashi! Let's go too! _Kya_…" Gai's voice ended flatly. And when Kakashi made not a motion, Gai violently calls out the name of the former ANBU assassin, the one without room for hesitations.

The one without room for thought. Because if he thought, he remembered. And he always remembered that he had failed. And he had failed so many. The remorse in his heart could not be any heavier as all the memories came flooding back in the fiercest of tides. Swept away, Kakashi began to falter and drown. Gai dared not say the name. He had never been in this type of situation before so instead, he focused on the facts. Tobi, Madara, whoever the hell he was, was trying to conquer and seduce their waking dreams. Yet Kakashi's waking dream…had been standing in front of him the entire time.

Yes…it was Obito.

The Sharingan in Kakashi's head screamed like never before, grasping Kakashi's fear and commanding it in the way the waves tumble and smooth stones. All that was left was the real Kakashi. Shaking, trembling, and gasping for each breath simply because his body required it. Kakashi stared. A cold ocean surrounded him, making him immobile—Kakashi stared at the face of his childhood friend. Both naked, they wore only their scars. And only their scars proved they were adults in this waking nightmare. No more tumbles of glory by thirteen year old kids; no more happy games. No more altruism. No more faith in the red eye so determined not to kill him. Screaming blood, screaming pain, screaming kamui; it had been screaming vengeance upon him the entire time.

Yes…they had to keep fighting…

But…

Kakashi can't. And he doesn't understand. The black blade carves his flesh again and again and he falls backward. He takes what he's due because he's been due it the past seventeen years. Covered in blood, he ends up on his knees.

It's been a heavy burden.

And Kakashi has been vulnerable all this while—a privy knowledge known only to his closest comrades. Gai, Asuma, Genma, Kurenai…And as Kakashi's ready for his ultimate penance (because it should have been him from the start), someone blocks the shuriken…

Because Kakashi-sensei is too important.

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"Ka…kashi-sensei." speaks the soft voice of a woman. And when the man didn't move, Naruto spoke up too. "Kaa-kai-sensei," he said, his voice faltering too.

Kakashi heard them both. Quite clear and loud as they'd ever been. Three bickering genin would never cease to be three bickering genin even though two had entered this room today. Kakashi heard Sakura's clothes rustle forward and abruptly Kakashi stood, swaying lightly. He could hear Naruto's surprise in the fashion of his bright blue eyes taken aback and blinking. He could hear Naruto's consternation as Sakura held her breath. Kakashi moved his head toward the soft caress of the breeze, wafting in through his open window. "It's a wonderful day outside, I wonder, what brings you two here." And sensing the exposed tension in the air, Kakashi cut it in half, "In fact, I'm surprised you two are still here. Naruto. You make for a very wild and erratic hokage. Don't think I don't know about your last trip to Suna. You too Sakura." Kakashi's eye smiled. "And Sasuke of course, my, my. What can I do about you three."

Eventually…the two left.

Kakashi soon sat back down on his bed afterwards. And he continued watching the day with his ears. Gai would be in for a surprise later. But that wouldn't be until nightfall, when Kakashi's senses worked best. Until then, Kakashi turned his head in the direction of the window and listened to Konohagakure. Still building, and still dreaming. Dreaming in the fashion of hopes and wishes grounded in peace. It was no place for a man like Kakashi. Haunted by the nightmares. Obito had been crying in his head all day today. Tears of blood.

Eventually…the tears dried, and the sun went down.

And as Kakashi stood up and shrugged on an old green vest, he stopped when he stepped outside his door and froze at once. Naruto was standing there.

Because he understands his sensei's heavy burden.

And Naruto touches Kakashi-sensei's blue sleeve, links hands with him, and leads him down the corridor and out of the building. He leads him soon off the pavement and onto the grass, wide and teal-green under the black sky full of starlight. They stop. Kakashi kneels down and touches the grass to find a square stone. His fingers trace the name.

Because Obito had taught Kakashi everything he knew.

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-Caliko


End file.
